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54% of Australian parents believe their children are more likely to be bullied online instead of the school playground. That is the tip of the iceberg.
Cyber bullying is a growing issue – not just for school kids taunts and virtual beatings but trolls who delight in telling vulnerable people to off themselves or take a set against them criticizing all they do. Cyber bullying is often be relentless and powerful.
Norton has just released its Cyber Security Insights Report: Family Edition in time to provide some timely advice about back to school cyber bullying.
Gavin Lowth, Vice President, Symantec Consumer Business Unit, Asia-Pacific and Japan, said, “Children today face threats beyond physical violence or face-to-face encounters. Cyberbullying is a growing issue and parents are struggling to identify and respond to this threat. Many parents are concerned that cyberbullying doesn’t stop when their child leaves school – if your child is connected to a device, a bully can connect to them.”
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The report finds
- 64% of parents allows children under the age of 11 to access the internet
- 58% are concerned that children may disclose sensitive information online
- 50% are worried that children could be lured into a physical meeting with strangers
- 49% feel that reputational damage could hurt future education or employment prospects – online can be forever
- 48% are concerned something online that makes the whole family vulnerable and 42% embarrassed
- About 10% of those experiencing cyber bullying will report it
On the positive side, parents are becoming more aware of cyber bullying and their children’s online needs.
- 38% check their child’s browser history
- 36% only allow access to certain websites
- 35% allow Internet access only with parental supervision
- 37% review and approve all apps before they are downloaded
- 37% enable Internet access only in household common areas
- 31% limit information they post about their children on social profiles
- 26% set parental controls through home routers
Interestingly, the survey found that that parents from countries who had the strictest preventative measures in place also had the lowest incidence of cyberbullying. The survey also revealed that 16% of Australian parents fail to take any action to protect their children online.
“Many parents are still in the dark about how to recognise the signs of cyberbullying and what to do if their children are impacted. The first steps for all parents is to educate themselves about the signs of cyberbullying and learn how to establish an open line of communication with their children,” added Lowth.
Parents – it is time to recognise the enormity of the problem
At least a bloody nose from a schoolyard fight will heal but cyber bullying is silent – only about 10% will report it and it can leave lasting mental scars.
Some of the signs parents need to look for that indicate a child is being cyberbullied include:
- They appear nervous when receiving a text/online message or email
- Habits with devices change. They may begin avoiding their devices or using them excessively
- They make excuses to avoid going to school
- They become defensive or secretive about online activity
- They withdraw from friends and family
- They have physical symptoms such as trouble sleeping, stomach aches, headaches, and weight loss or gain
- They begin falling behind in school or acting out
- Their grades start declining
- They appear especially angry, frustrated or sad, particularly after going online/checking devices
- They delete social media or email accounts
The free Norton report is here.
Image may be NSFW.
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